TJR, Canada, sounds a lot like the US, in terms of the educational system.....especially how the government, thinks schools should be able to get by with less money.

Pres, the curriculum that we are writing, will be open enough, to allow the teachers to change projects as they please, while still covering the content. I don't do the exact same projects, every time, I teach a class. I don't expect anyone else to either. What is surprising with the whole thing, when we started creating the curriculum last August, we looked for National Visual Arts Standards as a jump off point. It is hard to find any unified standards, for the visual arts. And at state level, they don't exist for me.

I haven't been asked to do anything with a play or musical yet. But my first year teaching, I was asked to be the Prom Sponsor. The principal, said he wanted someone "Artsy" to do it. I was young, and didn't know any better, so I agreed. It was usually pretty crazy for a few months in the spring, and I didn't get much sleep for a few days, during set up, but it was a little fun. The students were always eager to be on the committee, but they were glad to be done, by the end of it. They always asked, "How I could do this every year?" I told them, that if I didn't enjoy it, I would have stopped doing it long ago.

When I left my first district, I left the Prom Sponsoring behind. They asked me to do it, at my second districts, and I declined. At my current job, I have Art Club, which keeps me plenty busy on its own.

I never had a problem with doing different projects, as I would always change in an out to keep things fresh. My biggest problem was as and department chair where lateral expansion of curriculum would entail lateral expansion of a budget. When the department is limited to X amount of dollars, and one person expands their budget portion without staying in budget. . . . hmmmm.

Luckily, I am the High School Art Department, so I'm the only one using the budget. The Middle School and Elementary buildings, have their own.

that is an easier way to do things, but can get awfully lonely.

My first teaching job, I was part of a two person department, which was great just getting into the profession, having someone else, with experience, int he department with me. Over the years though, we stopped seeing eye to eye, for various reasons. Budget cuts came, I had to go, they got to stay. My second job, was a role reversal. I started the same time, as the other teacher, but I was the "seasoned" veteran, they were the "newbie". We got along swimmingly, and one of the downsides to me leaving that district, was that I wouldn't get to work with them. At my current district, despite the fact I am the only high school teacher, I do see the middle school teacher every day. We get along well enough, despite some differences in opinion. So luckily, I've never been "Alone". I've always had someone, who understands the various aspect of art and teaching.